‘Sea Change’ Begins in Alameda

Last week, the world’s first hydrogen-fueled ferry service made its maiden voyage in San Francisco. Named Sea Change , this historic boat began its life in Alameda. I was on its first run, between Pier 41 and the Downtown SF Ferry Terminal, and can personally attest to the fact that drinking its exhaust on board was a real treat. More about that later.

The press conference held just before the voyage featured a roster of dignitaries representing every aspect of this impressive public/private partnership. Representatives from the SF Bay Ferry Board, the California Air Resources Board, Congress, the state legislature and many more spoke—and smiled for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The  ferry began free service to the public on July 19.

With a goal of decarbonizing the maritime industry with its zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells, the vessel is owned by SWITCH Maritime, which tapped Alameda’s Bay Ship and Yacht (BSY) to begin fabrication of the hull and superstructure.

Founded in 1977, BSY’s original focus was on the construction and repair of wooden ships, later transitioning to repairing and upgrading the technology of commercial, military and superyachts. BSY has been located in Alameda for just under 30 years, and is one of the largest employers in the city, with over 300 workers. A number of “blue-tech” marine companies have located their businesses in Alameda, following BSY’s lead. Last year, the owners of the company announced its sale to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), providing a method for all present and future BSY employees to participate in shared ownership of the company.

Company CEO Joel Welter says that they enjoy working on classic boats, as well as with startup companies.

Historic ships from San Francisco’s National Maritime Museum are a frequent sight at BSY. One of the classics is the Hercules , a steam-powered tugboat built in 1907 for ocean towing. One startup was Makani, which developed energy kites, using airborne wind energy technology. Another was the Google.org-funded Saildrone , on a first-of-its-kind mission to send a fleet of uncrewed surface vehicles into the turbulent waters of the Gulf Stream for one year to study air-sea heat and carbon exchange.

Welter says that at the moment, BSY is currently servicing two army vessels, four SF Bay ferries, five SF Bay tugboats, and one wooden excursion boat.

Back to the story of the Sea Change . From Alameda, the semi-built catamaran ferry was loaded onto a barge and towed to All American Marine in Bellingham, Washington, for the installation of the fuel cells, hydrogen storage tanks, and other equipment needed to complete the build.

The project took years of development—the Alameda shipyard joined the project in 2017—and faced multiple delays. As the vessel was being built, COVID-19 hit, and shipyards had to close. The permitting process with the Coast Guard in San Francisco also took time. But the hydrogen technology itself was fairly straightforward to build, SWITCH said in a press release.

The new ferry will run first as a six-month demonstration, but then could become a permanent service. Other hydrogen ferries are likely to follow. The California Air Resources Board now has a requirement that all short-run ferries in the state transition to zero-emission technology. ZEI, the company that developed the vessel’s on-board hydrogen technology, says that it has had interest in its tech from around the world, both from more ferries and other types of boats, from recreational to patrol.

The 70-foot-long Sea Change carries 75 passengers, and of course the maiden voyage was at full capacity. Hydrogen is stored on the top deck, and then sent to fuel cells placed behind the cabin on the main deck. The cells convert hydrogen to electricity, and the power goes below deck to power an electric motor that spins the propeller.

So what was the experience of riding the historic Sea Change like? First of all, it was much quieter than the usual ferry. If you ride a typical diesel ferry, there is a loud engine and accompanying vibration. If the wind blows the wrong way, you’ll most likely smell the diesel exhaust. Not so on the Sea Change.

As advertised, it did feel more like riding on a really big sailboat.

And while a diesel ship emits both CO ₂ and toxic air pollution, the only emissions from the new ferry are heat and water vapor. The Sea Change uses the water vapor in its onboard bathrooms, and in its drinking fountain.

On the only vessel in the world where you can actually drink the exhaust, I couldn’t resist raising a glass of its water. It was delicious.

Although the Sea Change only began its life in Alameda, BSY CEO Welter still feels a sense of pride for their role in building a ferry that pioneers new technology in the effort to fight against the climate crisis.  Referring to it as a “pathfinder vessel,” he says that “To make the world a greener place, these things need to happen. My hat is off to them.”

C.J. Hirschfield served for 17 years as Executive Director of Children’s Fairyland, where she was charged with the overall operation of the nation’s first storybook theme park. Prior to that, she was an executive in the cable television industry. She now contributes regularly to KQED’s Perspectives series, The Oaklandside, and eatdrinkfilms.com . She holds a degree in Film and Broadcasting from Stanford University. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/C_J_Hirschfield/ .

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